Will anxious Arab states soon form a nuclear family?

From Libya to Egypt to fuel-strapped Jordan, Arab countries have signaled their desire to develop nuclear power, even amid a concerted attempt by the United States to tighten the noose around Iran lest it join the nuclear club. These new players are entering a nuclear race in an unstable zone, dominated by two regional powers, Iran and Israel.

Jordan, whose oil bill devours 20 percent of its GNP, has been seeking American, Pakistani and Russian expertise to build a civilian reactor after the discovery of uranium in its southern desert. Libya and Egypt – with possible Saudi funding – have floated similar projects.


The Arab quest for nuclear know-how remains restricted to international conditions and the terms of suppliers. But dangers lurk from two directions that are already on a collision course: Iran is pressing ahead with is nuclear program despite Western concerns it is enriching uranium in order to build nuclear weapons; and unofficial estimates put Israel’s nuclear arsenal at 200 warheads at least.

While Jordan and other states acknowledge Iran’s right to obtain nuclear technology for civilian purposes, they fear that Iran is really out to develop a military program, to better impose its agenda on the Arab world. This fear has become especially acute in view of Iran’s growing influence over a vanquished Iraq. Arab states will never accept Iran becoming a nuclear power unless it provides cast-iron guarantees that its nuclear technology is for power generation only, alongside an Iranian acknowledgement of national Arab interests, boundaries and the common interest to live in a stable region.

Daily Star